New to pellets and soooo confused

[Julie]

This is our first full winter using our pellet furnace (we had it installed last winter). We have a harmon and we love it. Last year we just got the pellets from our local Ace Hardware store. As I went to stock up for this winter I came across this website and realized how much I didn't know about buying pellets. There are so many choices, I had no idea!

So after reading the posts I think I want something that burns hot and clean. Any help or recommendations are incredibly appreciated. I am located in PA.

Thanks!
Julie

 

[The Ds]

Welcome, Julie! Always nice to see a fellow Pennsylvanian on the forum!

There are several threads on here with pellet 'evaluations'. There's a search feature up at the top right of this screen. jtakeman did testing of pellets (things like temp, ash content, fines, etc) and has a couple of comparison charts. Where in PA are you located? We may be able to direct you to a place or two

 

[Julie]

I tried to read the evaluations but they confused me. I am in West Chester PA about 45 min south of Philly.

 

[gbreda]

Welcome aboard Julie. Lots of good information here to sort through and great people to assist if needed. Beware the low flying pellet pig and thicken your skin for some of the good natured antics that make this site such a great place to visit.

You mentioned that you have a Harman furnace. Is that the PF100, PB105 or are you referring to a stove? If so, what model?

A Harman will burn pretty much anything you put in it. Try some different brands and see how they react within your situation. The heat output, ash volume etc will differ. Fines, or wood dust, is not so much of a performance issue with your brand of stove/furnace, more of a nuisance issue that does not really bother me.. When you settle in to a few brands that you like, then you can watch for the best pricing on those brands for your bulk purchases.

Some here will take testing to high levels and that's great information to start with. For me I have tried many different brands and purchase accordingly for my personal taste.

Let us know what some of your brand options are as well as your stove/furnace set up.

 

[Mike D]

Hi Julie - welcome aboard. Here are links that have pellet reviews/recommendations which I have found to be helpful. Before you by in bulk, you probably should try a few bags of the brands available in your area to see which seems to give you the best results for your furnace.

Here is the link to the Sticky Note on this Forum:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/pellet-forum-sticky-links.52718/

Here are the links within the Sticky Note that I have used:


http://woodpelletreviews.com/

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/51230/

Good luck!

 

[Julie]

I have a Harmon PF100. I will check out these links and see if any of the products are available near me. So far the only place I know to get them is at Ace but I would imagine there are other places that would sell them near me....

 

[Harman Lover 007]

I have a Harmon PF100. I will check out these links and see if any of the products are available near me. So far the only place I know to get them is at Ace but I would imagine there are other places that would sell them near me....

Home Depot, Lowes, Tractor Supply? Any of those near you?

 

[Julie]

we have home depot and Lowes not too far away. Ace is just sooo convenient as it is across the street from my neighborhood. I will look into tractor supply. We could have that around here....

 

[Melissa220]

Welcome Julie! I too am a new member and can tell you first hand how helpful the members and this site have been to me! I haven't even had one season with my stove yet.

I also found the following site informative..... I don;t know how many other members have seen this site?

woodpelletreviews.com

He has a list of best wood pellets 2011-2011, and a section where he provides a detailed review of what he's burned. It's quite interesting.

 

[subsailor]

Welcome Julie! I too am a new member and can tell you first hand how helpful the members and this site have been to me! I haven't even had one season with my stive yet.

I also found the following site that I have found informative..... I don;t know how many other members have seen this site?

woodpelletreviews.com

He has a list of best wood pellets 2011-2011, and a section where he provides a detailed review of what he's burned. It's quite interesting.

I think most of the reviews on that site come from Jay Takeman (JT) who is on this site.

 

[subsailor]

I personally like Greene Team, but it seems like a lot of people on here from PA. don't burn them.

 

[Melissa220]

I think most of the reviews on that site come from Jay Takeman (JT) who is on this site.

Yes! you're right! I thought I recognized the name.

 

[DexterDay]

Some good ones in your area (Should be around if you look). Are Hamers Hot Ones, Turmans, Greene Team (Greene Gold?), Somersets, and Lignetics (get great/and not great reviews/I like the Green labels and Presto's). .


That is a fine unit you have.

 

[jtakeman]

I think most of the reviews on that site come from Jay Takeman (JT) who is on this site.

My reviews are in Takeman Take. The reviews on the main page are the site owners Rob Anderson(hearth member quazi95). I believe the ones Melissa220 was talking about are Robs.

 

[The Ds]

I personally like Greene Team, but it seems like a lot of people on here from PA. don't burn them.

Bought a ton of Greene Teams just based on the positives.....Cant wait to try 'em!!

 

[Melissa220]

My reviews are in Takeman Take. The reviews on the main page are the site owners Rob Anderson(hearth member quazi95). I believe the ones Melissa220 was talking about are Robs.

I saw yours too JT

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Please note the last line of jtakeman's signature, where he admits to knowing nothing about pellets .

He has done a lot of pellet testing, he was doing it for his own use and sharing the results here and now he shares them on Rob's site.

Julie welcome, in addition to the places already mentioned a number of lumber supply places also carry pellets as do a lot of feed stores.

I know of 10 places within 10 miles of me that carry pellets, eight of them are within 3 miles.

 

[The Maniac]

This is our first full winter using our pellet furnace (we had it installed last winter). We have a harmon and we love it. Last year we just got the pellets from our local Ace Hardware store. As I went to stock up for this winter I came across this website and realized how much I didn't know about buying pellets. There are so many choices, I had no idea!

So after reading the posts I think I want something that burns hot and clean. Any help or recommendations are incredibly appreciated. I am located in PA.

Thanks!
Julie

Hi Julie welcome aboard ...part of the fun in burning pellets is the hunt ! lol Just ask these crazies on here . They give great help ..nice to have a pellet furnace instead of that oil rig lol
good luck happy hunting

 

[jtakeman]

A.) Some here will take testing to high levels and that's great information to start with.
B.) For me I have tried many different brands and purchase accordingly for my personal taste..........

A.) More like obsessed, whacked, looney even! A bit overboard! Somebody needs to get a life or something!

B.) I agree, Best to see how they burn for you in your stove. I personally recommend you try a couple of bags just about every brand(except Inferno's) you can. Just to see how they perform. Then pick up 6 to 10 bags of the ones that float your boat to get a good long test burn. Run with what works the best and what you can afford!

Please note the last line of jtakeman's signature, where he admits to knowing nothing about pellets .

Yep! I know nothin!